BF Baby going 6 hours after first feed of day...help?

[Izzybuzzybuzzybees]

Hello. I have an almost 21 week old BF baby. He does not sleep through at night and only has done maybe 3 times since his birth. He currently goes up to his cot (in own room now) as we go to bed around 10.30pm.

He WILL not go down any earlier no matter what we have tried so far. He wakes frequently in the night, not always to feed, sometimes holding his hand will let him drift back off

. I know he is still young and may still decide to wake in night for a long time for a feed. That part I'm am ok with my problem is that after his first 'morning' feed ie 6am/7am he doesn't want to nurse again til around 6 hours later!! Now this would be fabulous at night but it's not at night he does this!!

Someone on my postnatal thread said that it could be reverse cycling but I've had a look and that implies baby sleeps during the day rather than night. He doesn't do this, is it still reverse cycling!? What can I do to fix? Will offering more often during the day help? I did that a few weeks ago but he started waking even more frequently for feeds at night! I need help! And sleep!

As I understand it, reverse cycling is where they take the majority of their calories at night instead of during the day. There is some information and tips here. You are right though, if he go 6 hours without a feed you really want this at night.

What have you tried so far OP?

He is a big boy so I have been reluctant to feed more so far and have just been feeding on demand. I did try offering more often one day but this led him to even more frequent wakings that night so haven't tried that since. This was a few weeks ago after HV told me he should be sleeping through as he was almost 18 weeks and that I needed to wean him! I argued that milk only is guidance from WHO and NHS til 6 months but she has other ideas. I have not and will not wean early as I don't think it will help things in this instance. So haven't tried much to be honest as not sure what to try!

Your HV is an idiot. I don't know of any babies that slept through at 18 weeks!

I know this should really go in Sleep but what are his sleeping / napping patterns as well?

Agree, your HV is giving very bad advice. How would you feel about writing. Letter of complaint?

Most babies are still waking al 21 weeks, never mind 18. According to a study quoted here, only 16per cent of babies were found to be regularly sleeping through at 6 months. Have a look at the isis website too. It's a great place to start when you want to make changes.

Agree with show on her last point too. If you can list a typical day, we might be able to tweak things for you. Did you find the reverse cycling tips helpful too?

Writing a letter of complaint. Not sure how the full stop found it's way in there.

He is a rubbish sleeper full stop. He doesn't really have a pattern I could list as such as he really doesn't nap in the day. My Daughter was the same except she slept through the night at 6 weeks so no nap didn't matter to me.

We are up for the day around 7.30-8am it if he has last fed at 6am he won't look for a feed til late morning. He maybe doses of for 20mins or so around 1ish when I drop dd at nursery. If he falls asleep on me I transfer to travel cot downstairs but he usually wakes up on transfer and if not he won't sleep more than 20mins.

After first feed of day he usually doesn't feed for around 5/6 hours then reverts to 3/4 hourly til evenings when they get a little closer. He stays down with us til last feed around 10.30pm.

If I'm out in car he will drop off in his car seat and if I've only went a short journey I leave him in it as this is only proper nap he will get.

I honestly have no clue what to do! Or where to even start! I looked at the reverse cycling but that didn't give me any ideas how to reverse the reverse cycling!

I'd try to tackle the daytimes first. I think you may have 2 things going on here. Hes feeding at night rather than in the day and lack of sleep in the day is making him wake more at night.

He sounds overtired. I've just posted this on another thread too, try No Cry Nap Solution, your library might have a copy.

I'd also try to get him outside at least once a day, the sunlight might help him sleep at night. Could you try some skin to skin time to try and encourage him to nurse? Maybe take a bath together while dd is at nursery?

Do you do any activities together too? Mine always seemed hungry after playgroup or swimming.

I know you've tried feeding him more and it didnt work but he really doesn't seem to be having many feeds at all in the day. I'd offer it every two hours. Try to offer at least some f the feeds in a quiet place with no distraction. Know that's difficult with another one running around though.